Sewell Chan in the New York Times reports on a fascinating new book, “Ethnic Solidarity for Economic Survival: Korean Greengrocers in New York City," delving into the history of Korean grocers in New York. Author Pyong Gap Min details the origins of Korean grocery stores in the city. Min explains how Korean immigrants came to the grocery business, goes into the whys and wherefores of Korean grocer conflicts with the African-American and Latino communities in New York, and explains why Korean grocery stores are disappearing.
Ever since I've arrived in New York in 1973 (I know, I know, I'm an old fart food blogger) Korean grocers have been an integral part of the food culture here. One by one I have noticed they are disappearing from the upper west side and other neighborhoods as well. I've always found Korean grocery stores to be incredibly handy to have around. Not always cheap, not always welcoming, but totally useful.
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